Keyboard for accordions



NOV. 14, 1933. PETERSON 1,935,483

KEYBOARD FOR ACCORDIONS Filed July 18. 1933 T Z @m I lillpelefs on Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIfIE 1,935,483 KEYBOARD FOR ACCORDIONS Ernest E. Peterson, Ballston Spa, N. Y.

Application July 18, 1933. Serial No. 681,008

3 Claims.

'Ithe player can in nearly all cases take two notes with one finger and thus be able to play most chords with the use of only two fingers.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a key board of a character making it pos- Tsible to play the bass as comprised in piano music without altering such music in order to adapt it to the accordion.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed. I In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in top plan and of somewhat a diagrammatic character of an accordion illustrating a key board arranged in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the bass end of the accordion as illustrated in Figure l and also of somewhat a diagrammatic character.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawing, P denotes the panel of the bass key board which is arranged at the top of the instrument at the bass side thereof, and at substantially the central portion of the panel P is arranged the keys or buttons each of which controlling a single tone. These buttons or keys as herein disclosed are arranged in three parallel rows in a direction extending transversely of the panei P and each row 40 "comprises a series of four keys or buttons. These keys or buttons are so positioned upon the panel as to be readily manipulated by the fingers of the hand engaged with the bass side of the instrument, and it is to be further noted that adjacent keys or buttons are in sufficiently close spaced relation to allow two buttons or keys to be operated simultaneously by a single finger.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the series of keys or buttons in the row to the left side of the, instrument control the tones as follows: Key or button 1 the note A; the key or button 2 the note C; the key or button 3 the note D# or C and the key or button 4 the note F# or G In the intermediate series or row the key or button 5 controls the tone A# or B the key or button 6 controls the tone D1 or D the key or button 7 controls the tone E; and the key or button 8 controls the tone G. In the series or row at the right side of the key board the key or button 9 controls the tone B; the key or button 61 10 controls the tone D; the key or button 11 controls the tone F; and the key or button 12 controls the tone or A In the longitudinal alignment of the keys or buttons the inner longitudinal row comprises the 6skeys or buttons 1, 5 and 9, the succeeding row comprises the keys or buttons 2, 6 and 10, the next adjacent of such rows comprises the keys or buttons 3, '7 and 11, and the outer longitudinal row comprises the keys or buttons 4, 8 and 12.

With the particular arrangement of the keys or buttons 1 to 12 inclusive with their tonal values notes of any chord may be played with the use of only two fingers as the proximity of adjacent keys or buttons one to the other is such to readily allow a single finger to operate two adjacent keys or buttons.

While the accordion has an organ effect of its own when single bass notes and chords are played together such an effect can be further obtained I by the use of an octave coupler, the operating key or button 14 of which being positioned to be readily engaged by the thumb of the hand at the opposite side of the instrument. As is well known chords are constructed by adding notes 85 three or four half tones apart in various ways and a major chord is 1 plus 4 plus 3. For the first major chord keys or buttons 1, 6 and '7 are operated and of course this general pattern will follow for all major chords.

The minor chords are 1 plus 3 plus 4 and the first minor chord can, therefore, be obtained by operating keys or buttons 1, 2 and '7 and the other minor chords can be obtained under the same musical formula.

The seventh chords add three half tones and the seventh of the major chords adds three half tones to the major chord so that the seventh chord of the major chord hereinbefore given as an example will be obtained by operating keys 1 or buttons 1, 6, 7 and 8.

The musical formula for diminished chords is 1 plus 3 plus 3 plus 3 and the first diminished chord will be obtained by operating keys or buttons 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The musical formula for diminished sevenths with augmented fifths is 1 plus 3 plus 4 plus 3 and, therefore, the first of such chords will take keys or buttons 1, 2, 7 and 11.

The various musical formulas and resultant chords are referred to for examples to show the ease and facility with which the desired chords may be obtained by my improved key board as herein comprised.

It is to be noted that the four keys or buttons of each transverse row or series are arranged in the natural sequence of a diminished seventh chord. It is also to be stated that all chords cannot be played with the use of only two fingers although most chords can.

I claim:-

1. A bass key board for an accordion comprising a panel and twelve keys carried by the panel arranged in three rows, each of said rows having four substantially aligned keys, each of said keys controlling a single tone, said tones being in the range of a chromatic scale, the series of keys at the left side of the panel in succession from the inner key controlling in succession the notes A, C, D# or E and F# or G", the keys of the intermediate series in succession from the inner key controlling in succession the notes B, D, F and G# or A.

2. A bass key board for an accordion comprising a panel and twelve keys carried by the panel arranged in three rows, each of said rows having four substantially aligned keys, each of said keys controlling a single tone, said tones being in the range of a chromatic scale, the series of keys at the left side of the panel in succession from the inner key controlling in succession the notes A, C, D# or E and F# or G, the keys of the intermediate series in succession from the inner key controlling in succession the notes A# or F", C# or D, E and G, and the keys at the right side of the panel in succession from the inner key controlling in succession the notes B, D, F and G# or A adjacent keys being spaced one with respect to the other to allow two keys to be operated by a single finger.

3. A bass key board for an accordion comprising a panel and twelve keys carried by the panel arranged in three rows, each of said rows having ERNEST E. PETERSON. 

